A Veiled Reset

by Lwa

Light wished to return to face Dark, but was held back by Lady magic Dark was giddy as they were free to destroy, but Harry Potter brought them back Now two siblings face the judgement of mother Magic and father Death, with the soul of the boy who lived watching angrily as the gods deliberate. Memories erased, time turned back, and one last chance. (Prologue to Dauntless)

2. Back to the Veil

Chapter two of this prologue. We have what you least expected.

I wanted to touch a bit on the bit about Dumbledore. In this story, he is not inherently bad. The soul of Dumbledore is good, but the misjudgment of the soul of Light causes Albus Dumbledore to be manipulative. In the end of this, he is a victim.

Anyways, let's go on to the next chapter. "Back to the Veil."

—0—

Upon the rolling hills of Scotland sat the ruins of a proud castle. The sky was clouded over as dementors, dark and terrible wraiths, flitted about a shadowed battlefield.

Harry Potter, age seventeen, stumbled through the wreckage of the place that he used to call home, a broken wand clutched in his bloody hand.

The young man looked like death. His face was covered in soot. His hair was matted with mud and dried blood, which was slowly freezing as the temperature dropped from the dementor's presence. One of the boys eyes was white, rendered useless by a stunning spell that caught him unawares.

Other than that, the child was nearly unharmed, except for the lack of a left arm, courtesy of one Bellatrix Lestrange.

The powerful witch lay behind him, her head blown off by a spell much more powerful than Harry should have been able to produce. The magic had blown hundreds of fighters away, but that wasn't Harry's problem now.

"He will strike them down… he will snuff out that pathetic Weasley boys life and take the mudblood as his bitch! Just like he did with your mother!"

Harry bared his teeth in a silent snarl as he trudged on through the fallen bodies of Hogwarts students and Death eaters. There were so many… so many children taken before their time…

Up ahead, Harry could see the flashes of spell fire illuminating the clouds above the black lake. His scar burned as he trudged onwards. He could tell that Voldemort was close.

A shriek came from his left as a Dementor sailed forward, eager to feast upon the boys soul. Harry felt no fear as the foul creature approached. He simply turned and swished his broken wand upwards, watching with a bit of amusement as it turned into the shattered blade of Gryffindor and ran the Dementor through. The wraith screamed and then slumped, turning to dust as the sword turned back into Harry's broken wand, and the boy continued on.

As he approached the black lake, he could see them. Ron lay off to the side, unconscious, as Hermione desperately shielded against Voldemort's vast barrage of spells. The bodies of Professor Flitwick, Slughorn, and McGonagall lay dead in the water.

"Give it up, child. I have won!"

"NEVER!"

Hermione shot a quick chain of spells towards the dark lord, who batted them away easily.

"Don't you understand? Without Dumbledore, this war is mine to win! Darkness has finally triumphed over light!"

Hermione grunted as she hurled more spells, hoping to hit the dark lord, but to no avail.

"Then you will perish… just like the thousands before you. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry raised his broken wand on instinct, somehow understanding what he had to do as the curse approached. "Stupefy."

The red jet of light collided with Hermione, pushing her out of the way of the killing curse and causing it to detonate against a dead tree.

"Potter…" Voldemorts red eyes gleamed. "Still … you find a way to resist death…"

Hermione shook at the appearance of her friend, his messy hair and bloody side imprinting upon her mind just how far he had been pushed.

"H-Harry…"

The boy who lived took another step towards Voldemort, who sneered as he hovered above the water of the black lake. "Come to die again then? Have it your way."

Another jet of green light sailed towards Harry, who simply raised his broken wand and cleaved it in half with Gryffindors shattered blade.

"What… a blade that can defy the killing curse? Is this the Lights great weapon?" Voldemort laughed. "A broken blade and a ruined soul… I shouldn't even be wasting my time…"

"All of this… for what?" Harry mumbled, walking ever onward. His feet went cold as he stepped into the water of the lake. "Some petty power struggle?"

Voldemort sneered. "You wouldn't understand Potter. You are a mere mortal, I am a god of magic!"

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "No… you aren't. Just like Dumbledore, you fail to grasp the true embodiment of magic…"

Voldemort laughed. "I have existed since the dark ages boy. I am the manifestation of dark magic itself! Certainly, Voldemort has only been known for what, thirty years? But before that, I used Grindelwald, and before him, Herpo the Foul… all the way back to Morganna! Oh but Light… light still countered me. I was here to bring light back to mother, but it was so fun to stay… he had to ruin it!"

"You sound deranged." Harry spat, raising his broken wand once more. "You certainly grasp the concept of dark magic, yet you cannot touch the light! Just as Dumbledore couldn't see fit to touch the dark…"

Voldemort sneered. "The light is weak…"

"It is strong. As strong as the dark. But true magic is beyond simple classifications. True magic… like this wand…"

The boy slowly plucked the Phoenix feather core from the broken halves of wood. "A Phoenix… a bird that constantly ages and dies, before being reborn. This feather… it is true magic."

Voldemort sneered. "A thing of ugly radiance…"

Harry chuckled. "The Phoenix, despite its classification, is not truly light, nor is it dark. It is cursed to constantly heal others with its tears, while it painfully burns away and lives once more, over and over again. This feather holds that magic, death and rebirth, and in the vision I had of your Horcrux at kings cross just moments ago… I understood…"

Hermione watched as the injured boy, waist deep in ice cold water, wrapped the mangled Phoenix feather core around one finger, before jumping up higher than what should be possible, and grabbing onto the ankle of the dark lord.

"You and me… we're going to greet death together…"

Voldemort bared his teeth as he attempted to shake the boy from his leg. "You think that your power holds a candle to mine? Me! A god of magic!"

Harry smiled as fire began blooming from the Phoenix feather. The sound of the firebird's song floated through the world as the golden fire consumed Harry and the dark lord.

"What's a god to a non believer?"

—0—

"Stand aside woman!"

"No!"

"Stupid girl! Move aside!"

"HARRY!"

"Take my body back, will you?"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"He'll make that mudblood his bitch!"

Pain. It was everywhere, cutting, biting, burning. The words tore through his mind as invisible claws raked at his chest.

And then it was over. Harry opened his eyes to find himself in a vast expanse of nothing. It wasn't bright, but at the same time, not dark. Noisy and quiet were all blended into one.

"Welcome…"

Harry turned to find a woman made of the four elements, her eye sockets glowing orange with the power of fire.

"Who… who are you?"

The woman's stone face shifted much too smoothly into a smile. "I am Lady Magic, my dear, and you have done me a great favor."

Harry blinked. "I did you… a favor?"

The being nodded, before raising her hand for Harry to take. "Come, there is something still for you to do."

Harry stared at the stone hands of the woman before him. With courage burning in his eyes, he looked at her face and grabbed her hand. In an instant, he felt as though he were apparating, being pushed through a thin tube towards… wherever it was they were going.

The two appeared in the same expanse of void, but this time there were two others that joined them. A little girl with solid black eyes, her teeth bared in a snarl, and an elderly man who looked a lot like-"

"Professor Dumbledore?"

The man blinked and smiled warmly. "Harry my boy…"

The old mans hand was slapped away by the woman who had taken Harry. "You will not touch him, Light."

"Light…" Harry's eyes widened. "Then that means-"

"I apologize, Harry Potter. The events that transpired in your world were caused by the rivalry between these two. I am Lady Magic, and these are my children. Light, and Dark."

Harry clenched his fists hard enough to draw blood, bringing droplets of vibrant red into the world of null.

"You mean… all that had happened… was just some stupid game?"

Light's eyes twinkled. "It was no game Harry-"

"DON'T YOU HARRY ME! All this time, I was your puppet, your weapon for weakening your sister so you could just beat her at some stupid contest."

The old man frowned. "See now Harry, it is more complicated than-"

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER!" The young wizard shouted. "Do you have any idea… how much blood was spilled? How many children will never see their parents, how many parents will have to bury their children? Do you have any idea what you have done?"

Light was silent. A hissing laugh emanate from the girl beside him. "He's got you there Light…"

"You're not innocent either! The only reason you're here is because I dragged you back myself!"

The child's mouth snapped shut, and they returned to glaring at Harry. The young man seethed in anger as he ran a shaky hand through his hair. "Do you-do you have any idea? So what now? Forgiveness? That's always the way of Albus bloody Dumbledore!"

Lady Magic stepped forward. "Do you two understand now? The true effects of your actions?"

The two entities stood still as Lady Magic held back the rage filled young man. "I have called you two forth with an ultimatum. As I told Light, I have a favor to cash in from an old friend. Crux."

A man with an odd mustache materialized out of nowhere. He was dressed in robes made of Roman numerals. The sides of his pointed mustache pointed outwards unevenly and twitched every so often.

"Crux?" Harry blinked.

Lady Magic nodded slowly as she turned to him. "Despite my anger with them, and their crimes… I am still their mother. I am giving them one more chance…"

The young man looked at the goddess of magic. "Just like that? You're giving them a second chance?"

The goddess nodded shamefully. "I have given them far too much freedom. I'm giving them one last chance to prove themselves. They can finish their spat, fix what they messed up, any number of things really. But then, they're done. No more."

Harry shook his head. "It is too good for them."

"I know, which is why you will choose how they get their chance. Crux is the lord of time, he will either thrust them into a far future, or a time long past. The choice is yours."

Harry looked at the god of time. "Anything, just like that… I set the stage?"

Lady Magic nodded and Harry frowned.

"That's not enough… what's to say that they will not do it again? And beyond that, I don't want them to act nice just because dear old mum is watching."

"You are trespassing in the gods domain Harry, do not speak to our mother that-"

"Quiet you goat!" Harry snapped. "I know that you two cannot be trusted. True justice will not be reached by these means."

The young man turned to Lady Magic. "If I get to choose where they go, then I want some rules of my own."

"Now see here-"

"Light, shall I remind you of the position that you are in?"

The elderly man huffed. "I just don't understand why this mortal is to be our judge."

"Because I spoke for him…"

Light and Dark jumped as a deep voice boomed through the void. Harry shuddered as it worked it's way down his back, chilling his very soul.

Shadows pulled themselves from nowhere and coalesced into an imposing figure, a skeleton holding a knobby wand, a ring present upon one finger, and a familiar cloak laying upon their shoulders.

Light and Dark both paled. "F-father…"

"Father?"

The figure chuckled. "All gods are born of me in one way or another, Harry Potter. I am the beginning and the end, and I come for all, even gods themselves…"

Harry blinked. "You… you are death…"

The skeleton nodded, reaching out a bony finger to trace along the lightning bolt scar.

"Just like one of Ignotious's descent. You do not fear me…"

"You are too familiar to me to be feared."

Booming laughter emanated from the skeleton. "I will return to you in a moment. For now…"

The embodiment of death turned and looked upon his children. "You have caused much trouble. So many souls have flooded my realm in the last thousand years, that I have had to freeze the realm of death. I am not one to meddle in the affairs of time. As you know, it is bad for my realm… but with so much destruction, there is no other way that is clear to me…"

Light and Dark shivered under the glare of Death. "It was I who gave your mother permission to call upon Crux…"

Death floated around and placed its hands upon Harry's shoulders. "It was my meddling that brought this moment to pass. I reached beyond the veil to touch Sybil Trelawney, creating a prophecy. I touched the mind of your host, Dark, to force the attack on the Potters. I have my blessing to this child, ripping your soul in two and giving him a way to track those filthy horcruxes. He has proven himself worthy of being here…"

Harry blinked. "You… you kept me alive to be your tool?"

"More than that, child. With the rampant chaos caused by these two, I required an agent of balance, loyal to neither side. It is because of how you acted, that you are here to pass judgment, and receive another chance."

"Another chance…"

Death nodded. "Do not try to hide it, you yourself said that they could not be trusted. You know as well as I that countermeasures should be put into place…"

"If we send them back, they will act all goody goody. If we erase their memories, the same mistakes will be made."

"But if the tool that Albus Dumbledore believes he had, follows a different path… what say you Harry Potter?"

Harry blinked. "You want to send me back as well?"

"It will be hard. You will only remember snippets of your old life, hidden in dreams and nightmares. I may reach beyond the veil once more and alter your path, but I cannot interfere directly."

Harry sighed. "So I'm the cleanup crew…"

"In a way, yes, but also no. The path I set you towards will make you a great sorcerer, capable of standing toe to toe with my children. It will keep you out of Lights hands, and leave Dark fearing you. I had hoped that being able to stop them on your own and prevent so much death would be a suitable idea."

Harry nodded. "It is, after all, I'm already suited for the job… fine then. Return to the night of Halloween, when my parents died."

"Light, Dark, you will have seventeen years to solve your spat. If it is not resolved, then I shall draw you two together and Harry will end it."

"Only seventeen years?"

"Perhaps you will understand mortality now. Yes, after seventeen years pass, if all is not resolved, eight more follow, bringing you three closer. There will be no Horcruxes, Harry shall take care of any that are created, no returns through the Veil of Avalon, one chance. Now… Crux, send them back to that night."

"Yes father."

The gods' eyes glowed as a bell chimed throughout the in-between world.

"Farewell Harry, remember, constant vigilance."

And with that, Harry Potter, along with the gods of Light and Dark magic disappeared.

"Will they be quite alright?" Lady Magic asked

"They will be. Things will be different this time. I am sorry, Magic."

"It is quite alright. One more chance. It is final."

—0—

At a small tavern in Scotland known as the blistered Hare, a woman with crazy hair stumbled onto the street, quite drunk from several shots of rum.

As she stumbled down the street and into an alley to vomit, several men in dark cloaks approached.

"Sybil Trelawney… a professor under Dumbledore's thumb…" the first smirked.

"Lord Voldemort would be quite happy with the capture of one of that man's allies."

As the death eaters reached to grab the prophet, her back arched and a soulless rattle emanated from her body. Magic shoved the death eaters away.

The dark wizards looked in fear as Trelawney hovered above the ground, her eyes blazing with foreign magic.

One last chance

Beware to the gods

In seventeen years time

The race shall begin

The child of Death

becomes the one who is two

And calls forth three,

of venom, bark, and bone

Pledged to them they light the beacon

Swearing in the children of three years gray

Under the power of silver ward

The knights shall ride anew

Beware to the brightest light

And the deepest darkness

For magic sings once more on the wings of the firebird

And truest magic will see thee undone

Beware light and dark

In seventeen years

Your doom is spelled

With one prophecy more.

Trelawney gasped as her consciousness returned. Where was she? Ah yes, the blistered Hare. Now that she thought about it, she was rather parched.

Nothing a shot of rum couldn't fix. But where did all of those unconscious men in cloaks come from?

—0—

Another one down, one more to go, and this prologue will be finished, it will be on to writing "Dauntless".

Anyway, until then!